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A Free State loan shark has apparently died by suicide after the Hawks found IDs, bank cards and PINs at his businesses.
The Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team and the National Credit Regulator acted on information they received about an alleged errant loan shark and searched four of his outlets in Lindley in the Free State on Friday.
According to spokesperson Warrant Officer Lynda Steyn, the outlets were operating in contravention of the National Credit Act.
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Clients' IDs, bank cards and PINs were withheld and they were charged exorbitant interest on loans.
"The team managed to seize 66 Sassa (SA Social Security Agency) cards [and] 17 bank cards from different banking institutions, belonging to the clients," Steyn said.
"The case against the 51-year-old attorney, the owner of the cash loan outlet, was opened and the docket referred to the National Director of Public Prosecutions for [a] prosecutorial decision. It is, however, alleged that, on 21 March, the suspect committed suicide."
